Life's Twists and Turns
by KellethMetheus
Summary: Cassie's choices in life lead her where she least expected. This was originally Twas the Night Before Christmas. I might merge this with another story I have kicking around.Don't expect it to be as quick as my other fics I have no idea where it will go
1. Twas the Night Before Christmas

Title: Twas the Night Before Christmas  
Author: KellethMetheus  
Spoilers: This story takes place some time after season 10.  
Category: Drama  
Summary: Jack arrives at the SGC for Christmas and things aren't as they should be.  
Disclaimer: Not mine never will be not matter how much I wish it otherwise.  
Warnings: None

challenge: Twelve days of Christmas Day 1: It's Christmas Eve and the team is expected back but only one returns.....

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The gate started to spin and Jack got to his feet with anticipation. Sam and the team were coming home in time for Christmas Eve. He had come all the way from DC to join their yuletide celebrations only to find that they had all gone off-world to deal with a little problem.

He rubbed his hands together in anticipation as Walter called the chevrons. The wormhole blossomed out and settled into the calm puddle as he all waited and waited. One lone figure tumbled through the event horizon and rolled down the ramp, un-moving.

Everyone in the control room stared in shock as the gate shut off. Finally, Jack asked, "Where are the others?"

General Landry shrugged and picked up the phone. "Med team to the gateroom; we have an injured person here."

Hank had barely issued the order and Jack was down the stairs, approaching the prone figure on ramp. Turning them over, he caught sight of a familiar face. Standing quickly, he rounded on Hank who now stood at the bottom of the ramp. "Just what the hell is going on? What is Cassandra doing here?" He knew that she was offered a spot at the SGC when she graduated in May but what was she doing here now?

Hank was about to answer when Caroline Lam pushed her way into through the crowded gateroom. "Move please, I need to see the patient." She looked up at Jack. "You too, sir."

Jack hesitated for a moment. Cassie could have simply been asleep; she looked so peaceful. Moving aside to let Doctor Lam pass, he turned to Hank for answers.

The other General came closer. "Before you explode, Jack, Cassandra Fraiser is a fourth year Air Force cadet, who's been selected to join the program; you even approved it!"

Jack opened and closed his mouth. He knew she'd be here eventually but he hadn't expected to find her there now and hurt.

Landry continued, "She approached me a week or so ago. She had no plans for the holidays and so she's here on a trial basis over her winter break. She's trying to decide what course her career will take: Medschool or the SGC. This was supposed to be an easy mission. SG-1 were slated to visit PX4-741, a formerly Ori controlled planet, to renegotiate a new trade agreement for Naquada.

Jack nodded; he's seen the report about their recontact with with Earth and SG-1 had been there years before. The people were peaceful farmers. What could have gone wrong?

"General O'Neill, she's awake," Caroline called from the ramp.

Both men turned to find Cassie lying on a stretcher. Her eyes found Jack's. "Jack, I'm sorry. The Lucien Alliance grabbed us. The underestimated me and I was able to get away. I heard them mention kassa..."

She drifted off again, but Jack shook her gently. "Cass, what else can you tell us? Did you see where they were taken?"

Slowly, she opened her eyes. "They took SG-1 through the Stargate. If someone has a paper I can write out the address for you." She tried to sit up but Jack pushed her back down.

"Dr. Lam, give me that clipboard!" Jack asked holding out one hand while the other restrained Cassie from sitting up.

The doctor nodded as she handed it over. Jack held the board so Cassie could see it while she was lying down. Soon, seven glyphs covered the paper and Cassie relaxed into unconsciousness.

"I'm taking her to the infirmary now. You can see her when she wakes up," Caroline told Jack as she motioned to the orderlies to wheel out the gurney.

Jack watched her go wondering when his little girl had grown up and why he'd let her slip out of his life. It was only when he was left alone in the gateroom, he realized that he'd forgot to tell her he was proud of her.

0o0o0

Cassie woke slowly. At first she was unsure where she was and then the cement walls of the infirmary came into focus. She sat up quickly. "Sam-"

Jack caught her as she swayed. "They're all fine. Reynolds and SG-3 went in and brought them back for us. It seems Netan came back for round two, but everyone is home safe." He pulled the covers up around her just as he'd done when she was little. "What are your plans for Christmas?"

Cassie shrugged wondering why she felt so lost. She hadn't seen Jack since her high school graduation. "Didn't really have any. I was just planning to work here over the holidays."

Jack got to his feet. "Do you want to come to Sam's house? Join SG-1's festivities?" he asked as he kissed her forehead.

Cassie smiled. "I'd love that, thanks, Jack."

He turned and walked away a few paces and then turned. "Cassie, I'm so very proud of you, and Janet would be too. I'll pick you up in an hour when I grab Sam."

Cassie watched him go wiping the tears away, glad to be loved and to be a part of a family once more.


	2. New Year's, New Choices

Title: New Year, New Choices.  
Author: KellethMetheus  
Spoilers: none this is all my own story it takes place sometime after season 10.  
Category: Gen  
Summary: Cassie has a choice to make but is feeling a little lost.  
Disclaimer: Not mine but I do own all of SG-1 and Atlantis, but my kids don't know it yet.  
Warnings: None

Challenge: 12 Days of Christmas Challenge Day 9: Footprints in the snow

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As Cassie climbed out of her car, she pulled her coat closer to her body but it didn't help protect her against the wind. The snow whipped around her and stung her cheeks, the melting snow helping to hide her tears. Mournfully, she wished her mother was still here to ease her burdens in the way that only Janet could. Cassie admired the way her adoptive mother had of looking at the world.

Cassie had left Sam and Jack's New Year's Eve party. With the onus of so many decisions weighing heavily on her shoulders, she just had to get away. What should she do?

There was a place for her at the SGC if she wanted it right now, but medical school beckoned. Ever since she had come to Earth she'd wanted to be a doctor.

She had explained all this to General Landry and he'd a given her a chance to go on a few missions over winter break to see if the SGC was what she wanted. The problem was that she did want to join the SGC immediately almost as much as she wanted to be a doctor.

The SGC needed trained medical personnel, but they were also in need of people to serve on the SG teams as well. Cassie knew she would be welcomed immediately because of her medic training, as much as the fact that she was from another another planet. People were quicker to trust her than SG-1, after the Ori threat. Some of the planets had traded with the people of Hanka before Nirti had exterminated the entire population.

On Cassie's Christmas Eve mission, her Hankan roots had saved her and SG-1. A villager warned Cassie of a planned attack by the Lucien Alliance, but the warning had come too late. Cassie hadn't been able to inform others in time.

Her eyes scanned the cemetery, but she could see no one else. The snow was still falling and it wouldn't take long for her footprints to disappear. She was alone tonight and that was how she wanted it to be.

Although it had been a while since she'd been here, Cassie had no trouble finding the right spot. Since she had returned to Colorado Springs, she had kept her visits to a minimum, but tonight she felt like she had to come.

School began again soon and Cassie felt like she had to make a decision before it did. She was still unsure which way to go and she thought a talk with her mother it might help.

Soon after her mother's death, she had left Colorado Springs to escape the memories it held, the worse of them all being Janet Fraiser's death.

She had lost her second mother to the same people who had taken the first. The actual perpetrator wasn't the same, but the Goa'uld had taken her family not once but twice now.

So, she had run as far as she could to a little desert town where no-one knew her, finding cold comfort and solace in the first bottle of alcohol she could find.

Sam had found her there four years ago and convinced her to come back to seek our the dreams she had once had, but now that she stood on the crossroads, Cassie wasn't sure where to go. What was she supposed to do with her life; which path should she take?

Cassie wove her way through the cemetery towards Janet's grave, and a headstone she'd chosen, but not actually seen. Finally she found it, and dropping to her knees, she ignored the snow soaking through her pants, and took a moment to read the epitaph: "Janet Fraiser, doctor, mother and friend."

Tears filled her eyes as she touched the stone. "I'm so confused, mom. I need you and you're not here. Please tell me what I should do. I need your advice."

The sound of soft footfalls drew her attention away from Janet's headstone and to a young man standing behind her. He wore jeans and a T-shirt topped with a black leather jacket.

Tipping her head in thought, she tried to place his familiar features. She knew she'd seen him before, but had no idea where.

He smiled. "You shouldn't stay out here too long, Cassie. It's cold and you'll catch a chill."

She furrowed her brows. How did he know her name? Curiosity grew and almost consumed her. "Who are you?"

The man crouched down to look her in the eye. "No-one. I'm no-one at all, but you, Cassandra Fraiser, are somebody. You're mothers would be very proud of the woman you've become. They loved you and wanted the best for you. Choose what you want to do, not what someone else thinks you should."

Suddenly she recognized him; he'd been ahead of her by a year or so at the academy. "What was he doing here?" She opened her mouth to ask him but he cupped her cheek, and pressing a kiss to her forehead, said, "Janet loved you so much, Cas, and so do Sam and Jack. Whatever you choose, they'll understand; they only want what's best for you. No matter what you choose you won't fail. I believe in you and so you should believe in yourself."

Overcome with emotion, Cassie closed her eyes, squeezing back the tears. The hand fell away and she suddenly felt so alone. When she opened her eyes, the man was gone leaving only his footprints in the snow.

Getting to her feet, she followed the footprints back the way they had come. They stopped at one gave stone. Cassie knelt down and brushed the snow away so that she could read the words.

It was a little older than Janet's stone. It bore the words: "Charles O'Neill, beloved son. We miss you." Cassie looked around confused. She never noticed the resemblance to Jack before, but not she couldn't understand how she had missed it. Who was this man? He'd been one of her Training Instructors after all. Jack's son? Or something else? She tried to think of his name and then it came to her. Jon O'Neill. She looked back hoping to see him; a thousand questions filling her mind, but he was gone.

Slowly she got to her feet and headed back to Janet's stone. "Mom, I'm going to do it. I'm going to be a doctor and then I'm going to join the SGC. They need me and I need them. I'm gonna make you proud of me."


End file.
